Tips and tricks thread

[kennym]

Thought we might start a thread with building tips, here is one to start for glass TD bow forms.

If you use a stop pin, drill an oversized  hole  deeper and put a spring under your pin to let it come up to the level of the limb thickness.

Put the limb against the pin(plastic on form of course)and the pressure strip can run right over the pin.

It adjusts itself to limb height so no slipped lams over the pin.

 

 

 

[JamesV]

Kenny .......

That is a good idea but a little complicated for me. I use a couple of 5/8" sprig nails to hold the core to the riser.

James

[kennym]

James, this is my takedown form, it would be a little harder with a one piece!

But you gotta have a stop pin on this form anyway, so I thought why not make it where it doesn't let lams slide over the top of pin .

[kennym]

And I noticed on the first set of limbs, the very end of the stack at wedge was rounded over a little, and didn't fit the riser pad as nicely as I wanted, so I put some shims past the pin from the stack to keep the hose and pressure strip  from pulling down as much and rounding over. Hope that made sense!!

[kennym]

Anybody else got any  methods we can use?

[Crooked Stic]

Here are a couple. I just redone this TD form. The old one had a lot of limbs run thru it and was showing it. Now I have this adjustable restraint for ! 1/2 forms to keep the pressure off the bolt holes.
And a tip overlay jig that can be used with a profile sander or Robo sander to pre bevel the overlays.
 
 
 
 
 
 

[kennym]

Now that's what we need Mike!! This kind of stuff helps everybody!      

[Crooked Stic]

I got to thinking about your spring loaded pin there. If you could find a metal sleeve to about the right id for your dowell to put in there it would be bomb proof.

[kennym]

That would be excellent for you guys who use a form a lot for sure! I'm using an arrow cutoff, so the bigger diameter helps and I only build prob 5 bows a year.  Usually.  Maybe.

[jess stuart]

Great tips guys.  If you are like me you do everything possible to keep your bandsaw blade away from fiberglass.  One way I stay away from glass is to cutout the sight window before I glue up the bow.  I just wrap it with plastic wrap and put it back in place removing it later. Been doing it that way for years never had one stick so far. Only possible drawback is that it predetermines which limb is which but, that is easily accounted for by adjusting stack height if needed.

[Crooked Stic]

If you have a thickness sander this gets you TD limbs nice and parallel and square and to width. A sled. just two 3/4 plywood screwed and glued then parallel them thru the sander and you are ready.
 
 
 

[monterey]

For sawing things like sight Windows I bent a.hacksaw frame at a 45 degree angle which keeps the frame from interfering as you cut.  It requires followup with rasps but for the tool deprived it gets you there.

[Bvas]

Don't feel bad Monterey, I'm in that tool deprived category as well.
I also use the hacksaw. But after marking out the sight window, I make cuts just shy of full depth about 1/8" apart for the full height of the window. Then I just pop the pieces out with a flat screwdriver and finish with a rasp or file.
I also have a set of small sanding drums from HF that fit  in a hand drill. They work well for shaping sight window and grip area.  For as cheap as they were, I have been surprised out how well they work and how long they have lasted.

[Bvas]

Made this little mini form this morning. Well almost.... I ran out of dowels. Lol. I get frustrated with clamps sliding around when trying to put overlays on. So I'm hoping this little form will do the trick. Should be able to put a single clamp in the middle and band the rest.
No bows currently being built, so we will have to wait to see if it works.
 

[Bvas]

Finished it up and tested with a finished bow. I think this will work much better for putting overlays on than the pile of clamps I normally use.
 

[kennym]

That works Brad!!

Hell Yeahhh... Working with C-clamps can be a pain in the Arse...  Now you got Me thinking...  That could be dangerous...  Lol...

   Are you gonna use some kind of pressure strip to keep things flat...

[Bvas]

Originally posted by Shredd:

 Are you gonna use some kind of pressure strip to keep things flat...

Yessir. I will use the same as I use on my bow forms.
16ga galvanized steel strip with two wire lamp cord glued down the middle.

[Wolftrail]

Crooked I like your tip on using the belt sander with the jig.  

[Trux Turning]

Here's how I cut in string groves- I file in the first one, flip the limb over and use a spare file in the cut to line up the top cut.